Switch-stand.



BEST AVAILABLE COPY No. 750,800. PATBNTED FEB. 2, 1904.

R. L. BROWN.

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BEST AVAILABLE COPY patented February 2, 1904.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

RUDOLPH L. BROWN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

SWITCH-STAND.

- SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 750,800, dated February 2, 1904.

Application filed November 16,1903. Serial No. 181,432. No model.)

T (all, whom it rit/ty concern:

Be it known that 1, RUDOLPH L. BaowN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State oflllinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Switch-Stands, of vwhich the following is a specification.

This invention relates to novel improvements in switch-stands, and to illustrate the same l have shown it embodied in a groundthrow switch-stand in the accompanyingdrawings, in whch---4 Figurel isaside elevation. Fig. 2 isacentrai sectional view, and Fig. 3 is a part-sectional view on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2.

Switch-stands and switch-points are often broken or otherwise injured by the flanges of the wheels of engines and cars engaging and forcing the points while the switch is locked through neglect to properly throw the switch. This injury is sometimes done hy an engine or car running ont from a siding onto a main track while the switch is set for a clear main track and sometimes by an engine or car traveling on the main track while the switch is set for a siding. 'lhe result of forcing the switch-points in this manner is that one or both of the points are bent or broken or the switch-stand itself is broken and rendered inoperative. '.lhe cost of repairing,r the switchpoints is considerable, and the cost of repairing a broken stand may also he considerable, as the stand generally has to he entirely replaced. In addition to this a great deal of trouble and annoyance is caused to trailic when the switch is thus rendered inoperative. Furthermore, it sometimes happens that no attention is paid to the switch after it is thus broken and the target is permitted to show a clear main track, whereas the points may be lient or broken in a manner which will cause derailrnent of a train on the main track and possible destruction of the train and loss of life. It is my object, therefore to prevent accident of this kind and provide a switchlstand with a breakahle part which will permit. the switch-points to be forced while the switch is locked and which can he easily and z uickly replaced at ver.' low eost. Another o )ject is to cause the target to be operated whenever the switch-points are moved, so that if the points are forced, as described, the target will be turned to show the danger-signal; anda further object is t0 automatically lock the switch and the stand with the danger-signal exposed after the points have been thus forced. i In the drawings like numerals oi' reference indicate corresponding parts in the several iigures.

designates a target-stati carrying a clearsignal 11 and a danger-signal 12, of any suitable character. 'lhis staff has its lower end 13 connected with the switch-rod and switchpoints in the manner commonly employed or in any other suitable manner. A rock-shaft 14 is mounted in the housing 15, and it earries a bevel-gear 16, which meshes with the toothed segment 17, carried by a collar 18 on the sta. This collar is fastened to the stati by a breakable key 19, which passes transversely through the collar and the staff. A lever 2O is fastened to the rock-shaft 14 and carries a weight 21 at its outer end, and this lever may be locked in either of its positions hy latches 22 of any suitable construction. 'lhe collar is provided with recesses 23 at its upper end to receive the locking-lugs 24 on the stail for the purpose of locking the collar and the stall" together after the key has been broken.

'.lhe key is made of suilieient strength to lock the collar on the staif for throwing the switch under ordinary conditions when the lever is thrown to shift the switch-points in the proper and usual manner; but if force is applied to one of the switch-points while the lever is locked, as by an engine running out from a siding, the key will break without injuring any oil the other parts of the stand to permit the switch-points to he shifted by tln` flange of the wheels and the staff to he turned to show a danger-signal on the main track. The key ailords a support for the stail'; hut when the key is broken and the stafll is turned into the position shown in Fig. 2 it will fall hy gravity, and the lugs 24 will lodge in the recesses or sockets 23 to lock the target and the switch in fixed position until the key has been replaced. lt will be readily understotal that the key is n comparatively inexpensive lOO article and can be easily and quickly replaced when broken. nent or serious damage to the stand and greatly reduce the expense of repairing a stand which has been injured in this` manner and entirely avoid the greater expense and trouble of replacing bent or lnolten points. l `urthermore` it will be observed that the target is operated with the points, so that. when the switch has been forced in this manner the danger-signal will he properlyexposed to prevent another train from running into the broken switch. 'lhis is an important feature of the invent-ion` as it will prevent. many accidents and very great loss 0f life which now frequently result from failure to properly operate the switch and accidents caused by forcing switches, as described. It will be further observed that the switch cannot he surreptitiously forced by inserting a piclt or other implement between a point and the adjacent rail. because in such event. the target, which is operated with the points, will show the danger-signal, and thus cause the train to he stopped before reaching the switch.

Without limiting myself to the exact construction and arrangement of parts hereinf shown and described, what. l claim, and desire to secure. by Letters Patent, is-

l. A switch-staral comprising a target-stati' connected with the swatch-points. means for By this means l avoid perma- BEST AVAILABLE COPY operating said stati. and a hreakahle lcey hetween the staff and said operating means. i 2. A switch-stand comprising a target-stati' connected with the switch-mams. a collar on said stail'` a segment carried by said collar` a gear meshing with teeth on said segment.` means for operating the gear` and a brealtahle. key passing transversely through the gear and collar to lock said parts together.

3. A switch-stand comprising a` target-stati'` a collar on said stafl' carrying a toothed segment, a gear meshing with said segment, means for operating the gear, means for fasing-lugs on said staff adapted to enter recesses in the collar when the fastening means are removed.

4. A switch-stand comprising a target connected with the switch-points` means for operating said target, means for locking` said operating means, and a hrealtahle connection between the target and said operating means adapted to permit theJ target to be thrown to 1 correspond with the position of the switchpoints when the latter are moved while said i target-operating means remain locked.

l{l7l)()l.lll IJ. BROWN.

\\'itnesses:

Wa. t). Buur, F. A. Srlsa.

tening the staff and collar together, and loclt- 

